Verbena plant named ‘VEAZ0031’

ABSTRACT

A new  Verbena  plant named ‘VEAZ0031’ particularly distinguished by the large sized inflorescences, the flowers with dark red color, dark green, undivided leaves, and a trailing plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Verbenahybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘VEAZ0031’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Verbena, botanically known asVerbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name‘VEAZ0031’.

‘VEAZ0031’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivarhas large sized inflorescences, dark red flowers, dark green, un-dividedleaves and a trailing plant habit.

‘VEAZ0031’ originated from an open pollination made in August 2012 in agreenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was a plantdesignated ‘P3088-4’, having a red flower color with a peachstarpattern, and a semi upright plant habit, which later became‘VEAZ0033’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/330,455). The maleparent of ‘VEAZ0031’ is unknown.

The resulting seed was sown in February 2013 in a greenhouse inEnkhuizen, The Netherlands, and ‘VEAZ0031’ was selected as one floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2013.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘VEAZ0031’ was accomplishedwhen stem tip cuttings were propagated in June 2013 in a greenhouse inEnkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in the fall of 2013, and continuing thereafter, hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor ‘VEAZ0031’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

‘VEAZ0031’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in theEuropean Union (CPVO—Community Plant Variety Office) on Nov. 19, 2015and assigned application No. 2015/2726.

‘VEAZ0031’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effectivefiling date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that mayhave been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date ofthis application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘VEAZ0031’directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Verbena as a new and distinctvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘VEAZ0031’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing in FIG. 1 shows a close view of aninflorescence of the new plant and in FIG. 2 a whole flowering plant.The aforementioned photograph was taken in July 2016 in Andijk, TheNetherlands. The plants were about 12 weeks old and were grown in 12 cmpots.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘VEAZ0031’ AND A MOSTSIMILAR VARIETY ‘VEAZ0031’ ‘Empress Cherry Red’ Flower color: Dark RedMore cherry red Flower, size: Smaller Larger Leaf, size: Large MediumMildew susceptibility: Not susceptible Very Susceptible

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Herbaceous, trailing and            free-branching.        -   Plant height.—17.0 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—21.0 cm.        -   Plant width.—47.0 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—11-14 days at            about 22 degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter.-   Foliage:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 138A.        -   Immature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 137B.        -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137A.        -   Mature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 137C.        -   Length.—Approximately 3.5 cm.        -   Width.—3.5-4.0 cm.        -   Shape.—Hastate.        -   Base shape.—Obtuse.        -   Apex shape.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Pubescent.        -   Lower surface.—Pubescent.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 145C.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 145B.        -   Pattern of veining.—Pinnate.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 145C.        -   Petiole length.—0.6 cm.        -   Petiole width.—0.4 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute.-   Stem:    -   -   Branching characteristics.—Side branches develop potentially            at each node.        -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—9 to 12.        -   Color of stem.—RHS 143A.        -   Stem length.—About 15.0-24.0 cm.        -   Stem width.—About 0.4 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—About 2.6 to 3 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute.        -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 138B.        -   Length of peduncle.—From 2.0 to 3.5 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.4 cm.        -   Texture.—Canescent, also short, transparent glandular hairs.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Umbel-like, but actually a spike, umbrella-shaped.        -   Blooming habit.—Flowers continuously during the summer            months.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 4-6            days in the greenhouse.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—38 at various stages at            development.        -   Horizontal diameter of inflorescence.—5.9-6.4 cm.        -   Depth of inflorescence.—3.4 cm.        -   Number of florets and buds per inflorescence.—Approximately            23-29.-   Bud:    -   -   Color.—RHS N155B.        -   Length.—0.5 cm (corolla only).        -   Width.—0.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Tubular with bulbous apex.-   Floret:    -   -   Form.—Sessile; salver-shaped, composed of 5 partly fused            petals with a base of a narrow tube.        -   Immature color, upper surface.—RHS 46B.        -   Immature color, lower surface.—RHS 53A.        -   Mature color, upper surface.—RHS 46C.        -   Mature color, lower surface.—RHS 53A.        -   Floret diameter.—3.8 cm.        -   Floret length (depth).—3.2 cm.        -   Petal length.—1.3 cm.        -   Petal width.—1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Obcordate.        -   Apex shape.—Emarginate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Papillose; pubescent.        -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Papillose, pubescent.        -   Corolla tube length.—2.3 cm.        -   Corolla tube width.—0.3 cm.        -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 53A.        -   Tube color outside.—RHS 53B.        -   Corolla texture, inside.—Pubescent.        -   Corolla texture, outside.—Canescent, lower part glabrous.        -   Throat hair color.—RHS 155D but whiter.        -   Corolla lobes.—Free.        -   Presence of anthocyanin on the calyx.—Yes at the base.        -   Undulation of the petal.—Weak.        -   Corolla eye.—No corolla eye.-   Calyx:    -   -   Type.—Five sepals whose margins are fused to each other            along their length, with a transparent membrane of less than            0.1 cm in width and with one smaller sepal attached to the            base of the calyx.        -   Color of sepals.—RHS 143A.        -   Length of sepals.—1.0 cm.        -   Width of sepals.—0.2 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Fused, linear.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margins.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Densely covered with very short glandular hair.-   Reproductive organs:-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil.—1.        -   Pistil length.—1.7 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS N144C.        -   Style length.—1.5 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 144A.        -   Ovary color.—RHS 144B.        -   Ovary length.—0.2 cm.        -   Ovary width.—0.1 cm.-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamens.—Anthers and filaments fused to upper half of            corolla tube; four anthers with two pollen sacs per anther.        -   Color of filaments.—RHS 151D.        -   Filament length.—0.2 cm.        -   Anther color.—RHS 151C.        -   Anther length.—0.1 cm.        -   Pollen amount.—None observed.-   Fertility/seed set: Neither seed nor fruit production has been    observed to date.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Verbena has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant named‘VEAZ0031’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.